Tumulus at Winterbourne-Monkton. 303 
Discovery of an Ancient Cumulus, 
AT WINTERBOURNE-MONKTON, 
A curious, and possibly important discovery, exhibiting one of 
the ancient modes of sepulture in this country, has recently been 
made at Winterbourne-Monkton, about three hundred yards west 
of ‘‘ Mill-barrow,” and a mile and-a-half north of Avebury. 
For many years a large flat Sarsen stone (partially seen above the 
surface of the ground) had been the cause of many ungentle male- 
dictions from the various clod-hoppers, who, from time to time, have 
followed the plough’s-tail in this particular locality. Forbearance 
being worn out, Mr. Eyles, the present occupier of the land, by 
whose kindness and assistance we have been allowed to investigate 
the spot, sent several men to dig a large hole on one side of it,—in 
fact to bury it. Indoing this they found the soil beneath the stone 
to be of a different quality from the natural subsoil ; which is here 
chalk marl. They consequently excavated part of the earth and 
found several human bones, when night put an end to their opera- 
tions. This discovery led to a more minute investigation, the 
results of which are as follows :— 
The stone is lying flat, and is of considerable size, measuring 
nine feet four or five inches, each way, and varying from two feet 
six inches, to nearly four feet in thickness. By removing the soil 
beneath the stone we discovered a chamber dug in the natural chalk 
about seven or eight feet in diameter, somewhat circular in shape, 
and four feet in depth measuring from the under surface of the 
stone. This chamber was paved at the bottom with small irregularly 
shaped Sarsen stones, placed so closely that a ‘pick’ could with 
difficulty be inserted between them. On this pavement were four 
or five human skeletons, in a most confused state, covered with 
Sarsen stones, weighing from ten pounds to a half a ewt. each, and 
about twenty or thirty in number—over these again was a layer of 
mould up to the top stone which covered all. The skeletons did 
not seem to have been deposited in any particular direction. The 
skulls, thigh-bones, &c., were in such close proximity that one 
